My first day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), still not very sure with the unit's settings and work flow, so I stood at the side, observing what were the staffs doing.
I was asked by the staff to take patient's history by interviewing him some questions as a routine, found that he has an amputated leg, using prosthesis. So I was telling myself," he must be going through a lot of trauma due to surgery... I gotta be more gentle and tactful."
A stout big size Dr came in as he's referred by the primary Dr to insert a line through the old man's artery for procedure purposes. The old man was super anxious, and started to scream...
Old man:" What are you going to do? Who said that you can touch me?"
Dr:" I'm here to insert a line on your right hand so that you won't suffered from so many pricks each day just to take blood sample or other procedure."
Old man:" No No No!!!! I don't need, I don't want!"
(Dr still continue preparing for the insertion with the help of Nurse H. As Dr was inserting the needle...)
Old man:" Hey, I told you NOT to do it!!! What are you trying to do! Hey, it's painful!!! Hey!!!"
(The old man started to be very aggressive and raised his right hand and wanted to punch nurse H, but was pulled back by me, with some force, I pressed his hand down on the bed. Now, his eyes were staring at me, shouted...)
Old man:'' Let go of me, how dare you hold me so tightly??? Let GO!!!!"
( Suddenly I realised that he has an AV fistula [ Arteriovenous fistula: some adjustment to the flow of vessels for dialysis purpose], and I released some energy as I didn't want to alter the function of the fistula.)
Old man: " Hey, it's painful, you!!!"
(This time, the old man managed to remove his hand from my grip and raised his small little fist and wanted to punch Dr.
It's a close shave, I grabbed him back again, and Dr has finished the procedure)
Dr:" I tell you, this is hospital, you are supposed to follow what we've asked you to do, next time, don't every do this again, you are not the only one who can get angry. I'm telling you this."
(The old man struggled again and raised his little punch over to the Dr's dark, bulldog face.... How daring he was...)
Dr:" I said STOP THAT!!!!! You STOP IT!!!!! DON'T THINK THAT YOU ONLY CAN USE YOUR FIST TO PUNCH, I ALSO KNOW HOW TO PUNCH! YOU BETTER BEHAVE AND COOPERATE!! STOP THAT!!!!!" (Shouting in a very high volume, with his hoarse voice.)
I was looking into the old man's eyes, it's full of resentment, and wronged. Tears was controlled by him very well since its' his ego, and for most of the man's ego I think. I felt bad towards him, though I was nearly punched by him, but just at the moment when he was scolded so badly in front of everybody, and the whole unit was silent out of that, I felt so sorry to him. A man full with diseases, admitted and hoping to get the holistic and ultimate best care, maybe it will not cure him, but at least, he's comforted. Getting scoldings with uncomfortable disease conditions made me ponder again, what's the purpose of medical staffs. To get all our work done so that we can explain to our superior, or to meet patient's need, not only physically, but mentally?
An empathy towards patient's feelings, and understand why he is having such aggressive attitude shall help us in carrying out health care.
Of course, family love and care will actually reduce the stress level of a patient during admission.
You may use that one one minute to earn 1 Billion dollar,
but there's not 1 billion dollar which can buy a single smile from your parents,
cherish them, my friends.
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